THE SEMI-FASCIST CANDIDATE

THE SEMI-FASCIST CANDIDATE
The Rev. James Cascioti, SJ, pastor of St. Ignatius Roman Catholic Church in Baltimore where my family worshipped when we lived in Maryland, has shared a strong message about the forthcoming election with his congregation which is about as diverse as any in the land, including the poorest to the wealthiest, liberals and conservatives and just about everything in between and beyond the fringes.

"Looking Toward November," Fr. Cascioti reports in his latest pastoral message, "Peter Steinfels, co-founder of the Fordham Center on Religion and Culture and a former editor of Commonweal, wrote a thoughtful and nuanced article entitled "The Semi-Fascist Candidate."I share a bit of it because so many parishioners of whatever party are among the "elites" - intellectual, religious, cultural, economic, and political - [whom] Mr. Steinfels calls to sober reflection. I am by no means suggesting who anyone should vote for. I am merely reminding us of our duty to form our consciences thoughtfully and with discernment in the coming months. (In the message, Fr. Cascioti does not name Donald Trump, though the Steinfels article does):

    

         " . . . He has built a political movement on a populist nationalism that scapegoats enemy groups both within and without. He will expel or bar alien intruders. He plays relentlessly on a sense of national humiliation, victimization, grievance, and decline. He asserts that the nation faces an emergency that justifies torture and murdering the wives and children of our terrorist enemies, even briefly suggesting that as Commander in Chief he could order the military to violate the laws of war. Unlike full-fledged fascists, he is not explicitly anti-parliamentarian, an idea perhaps too complex for him (or perhaps too multisyllabic); instead he scorns virtually the entire political class as “stupid” or “without a clue,” i.e., unable to make a deal. He takes no note of Congressional procedures and Constitutional limits. He is indifferent to civil liberties except for gun rights, and has spoken ominously about reining in the press. When asked about compromise, he replies by vaunting his own “flexibility,” as though compromise were nothing more than a personal skill rather than an appreciation for distinctive outlooks and interests. If none of that rings an alarm bell, you haven’t read enough about Europe in the 1920s and ’30s. 

. . .  I deliberately choose semi-fascist for its historical resonance. It calls to mind a critical period in the last century. We continue to judge the public figures of that time by the political and moral choices they made regarding a fresh form of venomous politics.

     Fascisms, often inchoate in early stages, have never come to power without the acquiescence or connivance of elites.  American voters, yes, but especially American elites, intellectual, religious, cultural, and above all economic and political, now face a moment of profound choice. . . "
     Everyone: Please read the full article: https://www.commonwealmagazine.org/blog/semi-fascist-candidate):